The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1887-01-01

generous bumper myself, Indeed, W,
both needed 1t after u fright and peril
SNOW, | nm stronger was his next re
mark. Give me an AXE
~ brought him one. Ito poised It II
his hand, glanced once ut tho Italiau'l
picture, and brought 1t down with q heav,
blow that broke tho lid Of the box into
G!ty pieces.
III caught no glimpuc Of tho body OF {
man, but when tho nxe touched It, Il
crumbled into dust and was nothing. On
ly SOME Wondering bones. n tress or two
OF dark brown hair, and the blado OF q
dagger remained to tell one who had beer
buried by violence into an untimely
grave. E5.
"'Close the box again and wo will bury
him. gaid Moorhouso after he had looked
at him a moment.
"The lid wss split and hacked in all di
rectlons, but l found another in a LITTLE
shed beyond the barn and NO nailed II
down securely over the last witness OF An
tome Morelli's crime. Lifting tho box We
found n shady plaza just beside the door
We dug a grave and laid him there, auJ
a wild rose bush growing near, We trans
planted and trained to cover his last home
with grace and beauty.
This sad duty dono, we knew that we
could no longer remain there. Moorhouse
helpsd me bring out the few articles Of
furniture I had hired Of him and put them
outaido the gate, till he could send for
them. I took q laat look ut the roonB
where I had hoped to dwell for many
days; l scanned tho dark face OF the muir
derer for the last time, and then VIC came
out and locked the cottage door behind US.
| brought my horse around and fastened
him beside the gate.
"Moorhouae went with mo and stood by
Morelli's grave.
"'It Is to be hoped he will rest now he
said, emphatlcally. 'Butyou, lad. Whittier
will you wcnd? Why not come and stay
a while with me? My house is large
enough to hold another. You had best
come.' 4
II shook my head.
mo, l mus. be alone. I shall find q
place yet, I believe, where man has done
no violence
".And We part here-forevar?
az suppose 3d.
"Yes.'
"ll / were younger and stronger, I be-
lieve should go with you. But as II is, l
can only say God bless thee, lad, and good
bye
".'Good.bye, sir
"We ehook hands warmly, he lpatted
my horse kindly "a he passed him, and
took his way down through the valley
where he lived. I eazed upon him till no
was out OF sight, and then mounted my
horse.
II looked back ut the cottage as I rode
away, and I could hsvo sworn that the
face OF Antoine Morelli was watching me
from tie window. 1t might have been a
fancy-but it does not matter-since the
cotlagei s empty now"
Ths paper fell from my trembling handr.
but II does natter-lt must matter"
said to myself.
"For l am here, and for days and weeks
hsve been walking over graves, without
knowing it"
1 looked towards the cottage. There
were many things inside belonging to me
These could be brought away by a ser
want, Tor, OF course, after what l had read
| could never think OF living there any
longer. But my gypsy hat, my scarf, my
gloves, these were necessary articles, and
In the inner room.
II will not be a fool" I said to myself,
and walked brayely in after them.
In spite OF myself I took one last look at
Morelli's face, as I snatched my hat ard
scarf from their nailo and my gloves from
the table. Itseemed to work and change;
and as | gazed the outer door swung to
with a heavy claug. A heavy wiad rushed
through the room; voices and footeteps
seemed all around me and I fed, like a
coward, with my heart beating last and
my legs weakening beneath me.
[ could scarcely open the outer door
with my trembling hands, nor did strength
and courage return with the frat long
draught Of fresh mir. A stealthy %footstep
seemed stealing behind me. I could hear
ths breaking of the floor, and as I hur-
riedly locked the outer door I faucied ]
saw tho pale dark face looking through
the window, and a dead mnn'a hand part
ing the branches Of the thcrnless rose,
that q dead mans eyes might look upon
me.
The stone cross rose, dark and gloomy
in the advancing twilight, and the daisies
upon the murderer's grave bowed their
white heads to the ground as a night wind
went sweeping by. I stood but q moment
there, heart and sense were failing me
alike, and | fad, like 8 deer, along the
road that led to the town. tH
The cottage is mouldering away piece
meal. Sometimes1I pass it in my daily
drives, but it is always empty. No one is
ioolAardy enough to live there now.